Got the mower going and cut some weeds this morning. It wanted to plug and stop when I hit tuff Crested Wheatgrass or fine grass, so this afternoon I sharpened the sickle and the guards. I’ll try it again and see how it does and if it worked good enough mow the ditches and borrow a baler and make some idiot cubes. Sweat is good for you, right?

I rode down south and looked at the heifers this evening when it started to cool off a bit. Need to go back and doctor one with a bad eye tomorrow so I won’t go to the annual Deadwood Days of 76 trippin’/golfin’ deal with the gang. I am sure they will have fun without me and I never was very good at golf anyway.

Here’s some pictures of the outdoor cooking fire pit and grill. The grill can swing side to side or be moved up and down.

I went in to town yesterday and got some parts for my  mower and then swung up to Newell and got the dead cow I had ground in to hamburger, last week. Tate and Kass and boys came out yesterday evening to get some and we all went over to the dam and went fishing after eating. Pretty easy to catch them small bass and lots of fun on a fly line in the kayak. We had gotten Tate a pair of chest waders so he got to try them out and then I let him use the kayak and I fished off shore. Now we are about ready to head to Mass. Cindy found someone to work for her so she is staying home to play with the grandkids today. Bet I get some work out of her, too. 😉

I took my chest waders with me and put them to good use, stacking rock around the culvert in the creek crossing that washed out and got it fixed this morning. Drug a fallen tree limb off a tree in the yard and then worked on an axle for the rake and one of my low wagons I use to haul small bales with. Took Gramma out to supper this evening and then went to a neighbors and got a part for the mower. The meat is done off the cow I hauled in last week so I will probably go get it tomorrow. So exciting, I don’t know how I stand it!

I went fishing yesterday evening and had fun catching small bass on my fly rod. Wish I had caught a big one, but small ones are better than none!

Putted around this morning. Ran all the horses in and rode down and looked at our cows. Then sorted off the team and drove down and put out some salt to the heifer bunch. The little filly went along and was trying to bite her mother, she was tied to, so I would lightly pop her on the butt with my whip to learn some manners. Worked great. A few parents ought to steal that trick from me!

She’s gettin’ big. What should I name her?

We had some friends arrive on Sunday and leave today. We had Gus and Sam on Monday so we traded cars with Hope and took a trip up to the Hills. Went to the Ft Meade museum and cemetery. Then we drove over to Beulah WY to the Gore buffalo jump. But didn’t want to pay $5 a person to look at a hole in the ground with a few bones at thew bottom. The boys were getting tired and cranky so we just drove thru’ the Hills so they would sleep. Stopped and got a few groceries and then came home. They shot at some prairie dogs and Sue and I rode and moved some cattle that needed moved while Bob went back to the dog town. Mostly we just visited and had a good time. We had a dandy storm go thru’ Monday afternoon/evening with strong winds rain and a little hail. We got 3.5 inches in about 40 minutes. Knocked down a few old trees around the yard and some up the creek. It washed out one of the crossings I had re built this spring.

Today I have been working on my mower and we got another quick rain and there was .70 hundreds out of this one.

I love the wet weather and hope it causes the hoppers to get sick and die!

Went out fairly early this morning and went back thru my heifer bunch looking for one more bull. My yearling guy claims he’s got one more here than I can account for. Like a fool, I didn’t write the head count down when they came in so I thought we had them all and to tell the truth I still ain’t sure his head count is right. But I went back thru’ the girls and picked a up a pair that belonged on the neighbors to the south. Then I rode their pasture, hunting the bull, but found nothing. Then I rode out the neighbor to the south west, but didn’t find him. Now I am at a loss as to just where he might be as they are the only cattle that have been very close to this bunch. I ain’t found or smelled anything dead, so I guess I will just put the word out and hope someone runs across him. Don’t seem like any one lazy enough to steal would bother with one little yearling black bull.

Oh well, I got a fast, big ride on Pilgrim and he was still rarin’ to go when I got back to the house.

Haven’t posted too much lately as I haven’t been doing too much, seems like.

Went up on Monday and helped a neighbor brand their late calves. Took a cow to town yesterday to get made into hamburger and then went to Rapid City and picked up a water bed. Used, but looks new. We got it put together yesterday afternoon then went to the neighbors for a birthday party.

Today, Brad (one of the guys who starts and trains colts) came down and helped me and we gathered bulls out of the heifers so they can go home. their work is done. Hope they did a good job! 🙂

Then I saddled a fresh horse up and rode up and moved the steers and set the gates so the pairs up the creek could go to a fresh pasture. Dang hoppers are every where and I am afraid we will run a little short of grass before it’s all said and done.

We have friends from Iowa coming to visit a couple days and are to arrive here on Sunday. I have been working on fixing the mowing machine up so it can attach to the 3 point on the tractor.

Got hot today and supposed to get hot tomorrow. Up in the 90’s so it pays to ride early on days like this.

Just kind of boring old stuff.

I went to the Hills on Saturday to Hay Creek Camp, where they were holding their annual Cancer Benefit trail ride. I took Pilgrim and went along on the ride. It was good for him. Seen some pretty country and met some nice folks. Paul Larsen, Slim McNought and I entertained afterwords. I think they got their money’s worth as we started about 5:30 and never quit until about 9:30!

It was great to see Paul and Slim and Darlene again. Hadn’t seen and talked to Paul in person since he had an accident this late winter/early spring/. Broke some bones in his neck. He’s getting around good but has to wear a whiplash collar when ever he drives and still hasn’t been able to go back to work at his day job, but has had some gigs this summer. He is just a really great singer and plays great also. He will be at Devils Tower this September when we do the annual show over there.

Slim had great material as well. He can really string the words together very nicely. I suppose at his age he’s got lots to think about so always has a ready source to write about. He’s just a kid, 80 or so goin’ on 21 I think.

Now I am waiting for a young feller to arrive and then he and I are going north to brand some late calves.

My nephew Dustin came out last night and today we worked the three 2 year old fillies. Went real well. We took a break about 1:30 and ran up to Brad’s and Dustin helped Brad with a colt and Brad gave him a few pointers he was wondering about. I even got on Punkin’ for a few turns around the round corral. A good day.

I am liking these colts out of Mijo. These are the first ones we have saddled and rode.